


Can We Just Stay Here?

by T_Sauce



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Angst, F/F, Mentions of Suicide, No-one dies, no-one tries to commit suicide, trigger warning
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-12-01
Updated: 2016-12-31
Packaged: 2018-09-03 10:58:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,291
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8709784
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/T_Sauce/pseuds/T_Sauce
Summary: Lena Luthor is nearing breakdown after the events of 2x08, and she feels so alone. Supergirl turns up and tries to convince the older woman she is a hero.Also known as: The fact that no-one saw Lena after Lillian's attack makes me angry, and I think the writers left an amazing episode with a gaping hole in its plot, and as I love angst, I couldn't somehow make it a happy ending. Warning: possible trigger for suicide. No-one actually tries, but could be read that way. There is also mild physical and verbal child abuse. A lot of angst, and it's not the happiest of endings.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Medusa left me with a lot of feelings, and so I wanted to write them down and say how I feel the ending should have finished, because as much as I love Kara (and I really do) I'm annoyed at how she abused the trust, and friendship of Lena in this episode to get knowledge.

Lena Luthor stood on the wall around the edge of the roof of L Corp, swaying dangerously in her heels and her red coat. She was clutching a bottle of whiskey in her left hand as though it were a lifeline - and maybe it was. She had come straight back to her office from the docks and after stopping at her office to pick up the bottle she had somehow made her way up to the roof. Maybe the height put things in perspective, but she couldn't be sure.

She took another swig as she stood surveying the city where she knew she'd never truly belong, the lights blurring as she blinked, but she couldn't be sure if it was the tears or the whiskey blurring her vision. She held up the bottle, squinting at it as she tried to figure out how much she had drunk. _‘Only a quarter of the bottle.’_

 _'Not enough'_ she thought bitterly to herself as she took another mouthful. If only her mother could see her now.

_'Darling, Luthor’s have class, and we most certainly do not drink from a bottle like a savage. And stand up straight, everyone is watching you'_

 The voice appeared in her head, almost like she was there.

Lena finally releases a choky sob as the thought of her mother entered her mind, tears falling only to be dried on her cheeks by the cool breeze. She willed away the tears. She would not cry over this, she would not cry over that woman.

Her mother.

The woman nearly killed thousands of people tonight. And was responsible for the death and torture of countless aliens (and humans) before tonight, so why did she feel so guilty for sending her to prison? Lena took a deep breath to try and compose herself her thoughts about the day swirling in her mind like a hurricane.

When Kara had turned up in the office that morning, Lena had been pleasantly surprised by the young blonde woman's surprised visit. But then she had started asking questions that were too calculated, too, articulate to just be random questions, and Lena could hear the hidden, deeper meaning. But Lena could truthfully say she knew nothing of what emerged later that day from Supergirl. Her mother was in charge of CADMUS?

Of course she had heard whisperings of CADMUS, she was involved in the circle with Veronica Sinclair wasn't she? She was raised as one of those aristocrats. The ones in their $1000 suits and designer jewellery placing bets on which life is going to prevail in a fight where two parties have been kidnapped and forced for their own entertainment?

Disgusting.

But CADMUS was entirely different to the fight ring run by Roulette. The fight ring was easily broken up by Supergirl and that agency she worked with. CADMUS was on a whole other level of government - was it even government, or was it something else entirely?

Whatever it was, the rumours Lena had heard at these event where she had been forced to socialise with these aristocrats because she was a Luthor after all, and 'one must keep up appearances mustn't one?' These rumours spoke of the powerful organisations who worked to rid their world of aliens, illegal experiments and alien and human torture.

Sure Lena knew her mother was an awful person. But did not loving your daughter or husband make you a monster?

Apparently so…

After Supergirl had left and Lena had rung her mother, Lillian had turned up with all the falsehood Lena had come to experience as a child.

_"Lena darling, come and say hello to Mr. Wayne" Lillian had beckoned to her 11 year old daughter as one of Lex Luthor Sr's annual show off parties as their place in the Hamptons._

Lena had smiled like she was supposed to, and was concentrating on not spilling her glass of apple juice (Lex has put it in a champagne glass so she felt like one of the adults) as she followed her mother to the man dressed in a black suit with a hard face but kind eyes. She had been concentrating so hard on the glass itself, she hadn't noticed the obstacle in her path and tripped over one of the rugs on the way there. Lillian had laughed it off at the time, and patted her head as one of the waitresses who had been hired for the evening rushed over with a cloth. She had greeted Mr. Wayne, and stood for a few of the pleasantries that were exchanged before Lillian had shooed her away with a laugh but a glare that Lena knew she should fear. The bruises left on her upper arms that night by Lillian as she had grabbed her and dragged her upstairs whilst whispered abuse  furiously for 'embarrassing her in front of Gotham's most elite businessman'

Lena would love to say that was the only time Lillian had showed her true colours to her, but it would be a lie. Lillian was cold hearted, and the only time she ever told Lena she loved her was at a gathering or social event where Lena was required to attend just so Lillian could show off her beautiful adopted daughter. Behind closed doors she was cold and heartless, using her daughter as another trophy to show off to her friends.

This was how Lena knew she was lying that very afternoon in the office when she lied to Lena’s face. When she had said she didn't know what Kara was talking about - and Lena had called her out on it.

_'You told me you loved me, and we both know that's not true'_

Lena took another mouthful of whiskey as she thought back to those painful memories of her mother. She had been so glad when she had turned 18 and gone to college, legally able to separate herself from the family who had adopted her when she was four years old.

That is until her wonderful older brother Lex had gone insane and tried to kill the population of Metropolis in an attempt to kill Superman, with the Batman’s help. 

Lex - the one person who had ever loved her in the family. The one person who looked after her, cared for her and protected her from Lillian's harsh words and quick hand. Lex, who had tried to kill her only weeks prior to this very moment in time,.

When she first thought of Lex, she still thought of the big brother who had taught her to ride a bike because their parents were always too busy. The boy who had always included his little sister when he had his friends round, and who let her play video games with them. Lex was the only person that Lillian loved in the world. And it had broken her heart to see him go to jail.

Lena was left wondering what had happened to her brother. What had happened to that guy who used to send her weekly care packages when she went to College?

She knows deep down he was always a bit insane. She always said she had never noticed his weird tendency to obsess over nothing. How he was always scribbling equations and formulas in his notebook - the one he never let anyone else look at. He used to twitch when a mention of Superman was on TV, and he spent hours researching everything he could about Krypton and other planets in the universe that we knew about. She said she never noticed, maybe be hadn't wanted to admit the man she adored was not quite was she thought he was.

Lena felt the sobs rise up in her again as the lights below started blurring as the tears started to fall once again.

After Lex had gone to prison, Lillian had told her she needed to take over the family company; to take over Luthor Corp. She was a Luthor after all and she needed to step up. She was after all, actually more qualified for the job as CEO than Lex had ever been. Lena worked hard in college for her Science and Business majors and graduated as Valedictorian - her mother had sent her an email saying well done on graduation day, but had neglected to turn up for the ceremony.

Lena had gone home to an empty house.

But nevertheless, Lena had worked hard and secured a great job with a research lab in Metropolis, and then stepped up to be CEO of Luthor Corp in a last ditched effort in the hopes she may actually make her mother proud.

However changing the name, and closing down the labs that ran experiments set up by Lex - when he reached peak insanity - was for the greater good, and yet her mother had been furious.

Which is what should have given the game away in hindsight.

 Lillian hadn't been pleased by Lena's efforts to turn L Corp into a force for good, but instead chose to reflect on the fact she was turning her back on her name and turning her back on her brother; despite the fact she had given up everything in Metropolis to move to National City.

So when it appeared Supergirl was right about CADMUS, the thoughts Lena had tried to push aside her entire life about how her mother was evil - the devil incarnate so to speak – had been brought straight back to the surface. Lillian Luthor was exactly like her son, evil. Lena had just been loath to actually admit it, even though the evidence had been staring her in the face since she was four years old.

 

This is why she accused Supergirl of lying, it was easier than admitting she could be anything like the people she called family.

 

The emotions swirled up in Lena again as the wind started getting colder as it blew around her. Despite the fact she was 56 floors up, Lena started walking along the edge looking down at the city as though she was walking along the sidewalk, chugging whiskey from the bottle like a man who has hit rock bottom. And maybe she had. Her family was gone. Her father was dead. Her mother in prison awaiting trial for murder, and attempted murder and her brother in a maximum security prison for life.

 

She was _The Last Luthor_.

 

Because although she was loath to admit it. She was a Luthor and she had told Supergirl as much when she turned the key to launch the rocket carrying the –  albeit – inert virus. The Luthor’s had raised her, paid for her education, looked after her when her real parents had given her away. She had always been the odd one out in the household. Lena didn’t have a bad bone in her body growing up, she had just gotten really good at acting when she was growing up, which only intensified when she became CEO. This was a price that came with having to put on a show all the time to be the perfect daughter.

 

“Lena, don’t jump”

 

A familiar voice from behind her brought her back to the present and stopped her from raising the bottle to her lips one more time, and she scoffed as she turned her head in recognition, seeing the familiar blue and red figure stood on the roof a few feet behind her.

 

“I didn’t know you cared, Supergirl” Lena bit out as she turned back to look at the city spread out in front and below her, cars driving by like ants.

 

“You know I care Lena” Kara said, taking a step towards the woman who was teetering on the edge of the building in complete disregard of her own safety with her back to her.

“Do you”? Lena raised her voice, turning around with disbelief as Kara’s heart leapt as the brunette made the fast move on the narrow ledge.

 

“How can you say I don’t care”? Kara asked, taking another step closer.

 

“You came into my office and asked me where my mother is, as though I’m on her side, and why am I surprised, you’re a Super” Lena breathed out the last part of the statement, all fight and energy leaving her.

 

“I don’t think that. I know you stopped her” Kara replied, taking the remaining couple of steps to the wall and floated up gently so she was stood next to Lena, both facing the city.

 

“I’m used to people not trusting me because of my name Supergirl, but two people today – the only two people I thought were on my side – came digging into my life to find out about me, about my mother. It turns out you can’t trust anyone” Lena felt the tears spring into her eyes, but she tried to hold them at bay. She would not cry in front of Supergirl. Luthor’s didn’t show weakness to anyone.

 

Kara didn’t need to ask who the other person was. She was the other person. Kara Danvers had come into Lena’s office and asked her deep personal questions under the guise of being a reporter, being a friend, and she had kept Lena in the dark, until it seemed as though the brunette had something to do with it. All of a sudden she felt sick. She should have just let the DEO hack Lena’s phone and emails, at least then she wouldn’t be feeling guilty about betraying her friend. Twice.  She turned to look at the other woman who was staring out to avoid looking at her. Kara could see the tears in her eyes, and could feel the rapid heartbeat, she could even hear the thoughts swirling in her mind – even though she knew this was actually impossible, even with her powers.

 

“Lena, can we please get down off the ledge, you’re scaring me” Kara pleaded, trying to turn the other woman’s attention to the moment in question.

 

“You really think I’m going to jump?” Lena turned to face the blonde.

 

“I know you’re upset. What you did today would have been difficult for anyone, and upset people don’t think rationally. And you’ve been drinking” Kara motioned to the bottle in Lena’s hand, now half empty.

 

“I’m not planning on jumping Supergirl, if I was I’d have done it already” Lena scoffed as they looked at each other. Lena could see the anguish on Kara’s face – Supergirls face – and she paused and tilted her head as if though realizing something. “Besides, if I did jump, I’m sure you’d dive down after me”

 

“Then why are you up here?” Kara pressed,

 

“My whole life, my parents, my mother have been in control. What to wear, what to look like, even who I should date. Sure, I’ve done a lot, but there has always been the threat of blackmail, the reminder that I’m not her daughter. She never said it outright, but it was there” Lena let out a cry, and Kara felt her heart break. When she was adopted by the Danvers, she was automatically treated like one of the family. Even now Alex and Eliza had continued to make sure she knew that, from that moment she was 14 years old with Kal-El on their doorstep, to this very day. To hear Lena speak of her own troubles broke her heart, and she didn’t know what to do to help. Lena continued,

 

“She’s always been in control, and now she’s gone, I feel like a weight has been lifted, and like I’ve been punched in the stomach simultaneously. I’m standing here because I can. Because for  the first time in my life, I’m in control of my life, and I know that one step could end it, I know it won’t, because it’s my decision, and I’m not planning on throwing myself overboard so to speak, so you can go now Supergirl, I don’t need you. I don’t need anyone”

 

Lena’s quiet words ripped straight through Kara’s heart again.

 

“I’m right where I need to be. I’m here and I never stopped believing in you. I failed you today by questioning you, I should have never doubted you. I told you that you are nothing like your mother, I meant it” Kara said, trying to show how sincere she was.

 

“You doubted me though, you don’t need to pretend you didn’t, you don’t need to say anything. Super’s and Luthor’s are apparently deemed to not be friends” Lena breathed, closing her eyes and tried to keep the tears away as they tried to appear again.

 

“I shouldn’t have. I’m sorry Lena, you proved me right. You are nothing like your mother; they told me what you did. You swapped out the isotope, you called the police and got Lillian arrested. You saved thousands of innocent people, including many of my friends” Kara said, taking a step closer to Lena sideways so that their arms were millimeters from touching.

 

“I’ve got nobody left” Lena sighed. She was too exhausted, both physically and mentally, and the tears started falling again, so she let them, silently falling down her face again, the wind quickly drying them out as before. She hoped Supergirl wouldn’t notice, but of course she did.

 

“That’s not true” Kara argued before Lena continued,

 

“My family is either dead or rotting in a prison and all my friends have abandoned me. I think that constitutes being alone”

 

“You have me” Kara replied, “You proved tonight that I am not worthy of your friendship. I had no right to question you today and I had no right to bring you into this mess. This was Lillian, not you, and I’m sorry. And I want to thank you for what you did. If it wasn’t for you…” She trailed off, “I couldn’t stop the rocket. You’re the reason tonight didn’t go how Lillian planned.”

 

“I appreciate your apology,” Lena stated dismissively, glancing sideways at the superhero, “I don’t need you right now, I’m fine on my own. I’ve always been on my own and I don’t need your pity if you want to be somewhere else”

 

Kara froze as she realised something. Lena had literally lost everything tonight. She had done something incredible, and lost the last family she had, and she had sacrificed everything in her life for the greater good. The last thing Lena Luthor needed was someone else lying to her. Kara took a deep breath before she spoke.

 

“I’m here for my friend” Kara said, “You once told me I’m one of your only friends in National City, please don’t push me away. You don’t deserve to be on your own. Not now and not ever, because you acted selflessly tonight, despite everything I said, and despite the world being against you. You were my hero tonight Lena”

 

“Kara”? Lena asked incredulously, staring at Kara as the blonde’s words digested.

 

“I’m sorry, I never meant to lie to you” Kara apologised; “Only a few people I know, but after what you did tonight, you don’t deserve another lie. You are my friend, and I truly hope you can forgive me, for lying and for doubting you. I shouldn’t have” Kara watched as she saw Lena take a deep breath. And then the sobs came. They wracked Lena’s shoulders and came from deep within, the tears falling as Lena raised a hand to cover her mouth, not trying to stifle, but more in disbelief.

 

It all made sense now.

 

“You shouldn’t be alone tonight” Kara whispered, “come home with me”

 

“A Luthor going home with a Super, my mother would have a field day” Lena laughed, but there was no mirth in it.

 

“No, not with Supergirl, but with me, Kara Danvers” Kara replied, waiting for the reply.

 

“I don’t know what to do. I don’t know where to go from here” Lena quietly confided, but not in Supergirl, but in her friend Kara. Kara who had entered her office with Clarke Kent that day and been a ray of sunshine Lena hadn't even known she'd needed in her life since that moment on. Kara had been her friend despite her surname and her family history. Apart from today in her office, Lena had always depended on the blonde reporter, whether Lena knew it or not.

 

“What do you need”? Kara asked gently as the tears continued down the older woman’s face, even though the sobs were starting to calm down.

 

Lena looked at her now, fully turned to look at her. Her eyes were red, and her eyes were bloodshot and slightly glazed over from the whiskey, but she was open, her walls were fully down and Kara thought she had never looked so beautiful. In that moment they weren’t Lena Luthor and Supergirl, they were just Lena and Kara.

 

“Can we, can we just stay here for a little longer? Can we just pretend, just for a minute that today never happened, and that you are just my friend Kara and we’re doing what we have done before all of this madness?” Lena begged, her voice sounding tired and pleading as she turned back to the city.

 

“Of course we can” Kara nodded, also turning back to the city.

 

Kara pretended she didn’t hear the quick breath Lena took upon the contact when she linked their hands together, holding it tightly within her own. Grateful when she felt Lena grip it back, holding on with everything she had.

 

“Of course we can”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kara can't help but feel Lena doesn't want to to be on her own. So she invites Lena back to her apartment in the hope that she can provide some comfort to someone who has lost everything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I decided to continue this previous oneshot. I hope you enjoy it and I apologise in advance for all the angst

“Of course we can”

Kara doesn’t know how long they stood on the balcony as the tears fell silently down her own face, her heart breaking for her friend. Lena's hand felt cold in her own and she could feel her shaking slightly as she fought to compose herself against the onslaught of feelings that had been unleashed when she had allowed herself to cry out that first time.  
Kara looks over at Lena and see’s not the monster that everyone fears her to be, but the woman who had always simply wanted her mother’s approval and love. Lena had forgone that tonight to prove to Supergirl, and to the world that she was better than the family that adopted her. No. Lex is the monster, Lena is someone who simply wants to belong and atone for her brother’s sins, and Kara can’t believe it has taken her this long to figure it out.

On Krypton, even Astra, who murdered people, had done it for the greater good. Although admittedly it had taken Kara until a few months ago to see it. Lena hadn’t killed anyone – except for Metallo, but even in doing so it had been to save Alex’s life – but she hadn’t even maliciously harmed anyone. The only thing she had done was be adopted into a family of sociopaths and monsters.

Eventually she hears the older woman’s (or younger if you count the time spent in the phantom zone) start to slow down and the tears stop falling. Lena, despite being nothing like the rest of the Luthor's does exactly what she had been taught to do. She sharply pulls her hand from Kara’s and straightens up, wiping her cheeks before fixing Kara with a smile and a cheery, “Shall we go then”?

And it breaks Kara’s heart all over again.

When she had first arrived on Earth, she had spent every evening and night crying in her bed, Alex had held her and stroked her head and told her it was okay to cry, it was okay to grieve. She still did exactly the same thing now when she was upset or confused or angry. Even after Jeremiah had died, Alex had shown emotion and Kara had thought it made her the strongest peraon she knew, because she got up and carried on going after she had lost her world.

Something tells Kara that Lena had been told to suck it up and get over it because she wasa Luthor, and Luthor's didn’t show emotion, because emotion showed weakness. _And Luthor’s were not weak._

“Lena” Kara began slowly, facing the older woman with caution.

“Don’t Kara, I just want to go home now” Lena stated, turning away from the hero, her shoulders stiff as she carried the weight of the world on them.

“Lena, you can’t be by yourself tonight” Kara pleaded, staring at the back of Lena’s form, noting the way Lena’s shoulders dropped by just a few centimeters, and she heard the catch in her throat as she swallowed down a new batch of tears as she slowed to a stop.

Kara didn't comment on this. She simply walked up behind Lena and carefully put had hands on the upper arms of the other woman, stepping in so that her front was inches from Lena’s back. She could feel the tension radiating off the other woman in waves and she squeezed her hands gently in an effort to relax her. It didn’t work. Lena’s red coat was soft but Kara could still feel the tenseness in the muscles underneath the skin, yet another reminder of everything Lena had been through.

“Come home with me tonight, I’ll sleep on the couch”  
Lena turned around slowly, and for the first time that night Kara could see more than anguish and pain in her eyes. She saw a little bit of humour around the edges as well.

“Well a Super inviting a Luthor into her bed” Lena smirked slightly, “who’d have thought”?

“Lena, stop deflecting” Kara sighed, “you’ve been through a lot, and something tells me you don’t want to go home tonight. Hence why I found you here and not at your apartment. And something tells me that’s because you don’t want to be by yourself”

“You’re right, of course you are. You’re a Super, you tend to see through everything. But a Luthor in a Super's apartment, the press would have a field day if they found oit, it’s going to be hard enough as it is tomorrow when they find out about my mother and CADMUS” Lena shrank into herself again right before Kara’s eyes, and Kara found herself stepping forward and pulling the dark haired woman into a powerful hug – a hug which Kara noted – which was easily reciprocated.

“Except it isn’t Supergirl's apartment, it’s Kara Danvers' apartment, and you’ve been there before remwmber. No-one is going to think twice. Please Lena, let me take you home” Kara pleaded as she stepped away, and gently grasped Lena’s hand for the second time that night.

“Fine, but I’ll call a cab and meet you there, I’m not flying anywhere tonight” Lena gave in and pulled her cellphone out of her pocket.

“Deal,” Kara nodded and smiled her ‘Puppy Danvers' smile, “except I’ll get a cab with you, just give me a second” and Supergirl flew off.

Seconds later she returned with a bag, and seconds later, it was Kara Danvers stood in front of Lena, complete with her hair up and glasses perched firmly on her nose.

Lena realised suddenly why she hadn’t noticed before that Kara was in fact Supergirl. It was though Kara had two different personalities. Supergirl had stood in front of her full of confidence, grace and composure. Kara Danvers stood twitching her fingers and she reached up to awkwardly push her glasses back up her nose.

All earlier confidence was gone and all Lena had to actually show her that they were the same person and that she hadn't imagined all of this tonight - was the Supergirl outfit now lying on the floor, that Kara quickly moved to pick up and screw up into a ball before shoving it in her backpack.

The only similarity Lena mused was her heart – because both Kara and Supergirl had the biggest heart Lena had ever met before in her life, and the warmth and goodness that radiated out of Kara in waves also radiated out of Supergirl. Lena was not used to people being nice to her simply because that’s who they were. People were only usually nice to her because they wanted something from her.

“Don’t you usually have your suit on under your clothes Kara”? Lena asked trying to lighten the mood and stop the dark thoughts from creeping back into her mind, raising an eyebrow at Kara’s awkward shuffle from one foot to another at the question.

“Usually, but superspeed means I can change really fast, and besides, unless there’s another world ending disaster I’m not going anywhere tonight as I feel like you need me more” she stammered out, and Lena couldn’t help but feel her heart start beating faster and as she saw Kara blush, she knows Kara picked up on that as well. So many truths and lies had come out tonight and Lena was having a hard time keeping it together enough to simply stay upright (albeit the half bottle of whiskey wasn’t helping in that respect). All she wanted to do was collapse onto the floor and scream at the world.

“Shall we go then”? Kara eventually spoke, pulling Lena out of her trance – which admittedly had been an internal battle with her own head as she tried to stop the feelings at bay. They could wait until later.  
“Ill ring my driver”  
...

  
CEO Lena Luthor was the mode that Lena adopted when she was on show or in public. Kara had rarely seen it herself when they were in private since that first meeting with Clarke in Lena's office. That this is the persona that she saw from the minute they got out of the escalator into L Corps lobby. They sat in silence in the car ride except for the few directions Kara gave Lena’s driver Bradley, and they walked up to Kara’s apartment in silence. Lena's shoulders up back and her head held high. But as soon as Kara slides the loft door shut behind her, Lena droops again, and Kara can see her trembling again.

“I’m going to go and find you something to sleep in” Kara murmurs as she gently helps Lena out of her coat, “you’re free to use the bathroom, there are clean towels in there if you want to have a shower”?

“Thank you Kara,” Lena lifts her head to look at Kara, and Kara feels the dismay creep into her heart as she sees the earlier hope and humour has disappeared from Lena’s eyes. They are now just dull and tired and filled with despair. Kara silently vows to do whatever possible to stop Lena from feeling like this ever again, but tonight, tonight Lena will be able to grieve and allow her emotion to bubble over if that’s what she needs to do.

Kara points Lena in the direction of her bathroom and then leaves her to it as she rifles through her drawers to find something suitable for Lena to wear in bed. Unfortunately the only things she can find are a pair of soft pyjama bottoms with cartoon kittens all over them, and an old t-shirt, left over from her college days with UCLA emblazoned across the front. 

Sighing internally at her inability to own adult pyjamas, Kara gently folds them into a pile and leaves them outside the bathroom door. She can hear the shower working, and so she mused that hopefully that would make Lena feel slightly better, and maybe slightly more sober.

She shuffled through to the living room and set on making up her couch ready for her to sleep on – basically just a couple of pillows with a blanket underneath, and one of her spare quilts on the top.

After she does this, Kara walks over to the kitchen and gets two bottles of water out of the fridge as she remembers that Lena drank half a bottle of whiskey before she had found her that night, something even Alex didn’t do that often due to the hangover she knew she’d encounter in the morning. 

Kara was so lost in her thoughts she didn’t notice Lena softly pad back over to her, looking adorable in Kara’s pyjamas, her hair damp and hanging around her face in soft waves. She looked gorgeous, and Kara found herself staring in awe at the beautiful woman in front of her.

“Thank you for the pyjamas” Lena whispered, looking down at the kittens and UCLA shirt with a small smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes.

“No problem, here, I got you some water, I figured you may need it after the whiskey you drank” Kara pushes the bottle across the countertip, Lena accepts it gratefully and with another small thank you she unscrews the cap and drinks half of the bottle without pausing for breath.

“Thank you Kara, really, but I think I’m ready to go to sleep now” Lena suddenly yawns as she caps the bottle and puts it back on the counter. Kara looks at the clock on the wall to see that it is already 2am.

“Of course, I’ve set up the sofa for myself so feel free to take my bed, it’s just through there” Kara motions towards her room, “if you need anything just come and get me” 

Lena nodded and looking incredibly small she disappears behind the bedroom door, closing it gently behind her.

Kara stretched and turns of the lights before pulling off her clothes, leaving her in a pair of boyshorts and a white t-shirt that she always wears underneath the blouses at CatCo. She takes her glasses off and crawls onto the couch, pulling the duvet around her as she closed her eyes awaiting sleep.

  
...

  
It isn’t like she’s trying to listen. No. That would be a missuse of her power. But sometimes, much like when Jeremiah died, it’s hard to tune out the sounds of people crying. Especially when the person crying sounds as though they’re splitting in two – as though they’ve lost part of themselves.

When Jeremiah died, she’d been able to hear Eliza crying through the walls. The older woman had been silent to normal ears, but Kara had been able to pick up on the muffled sobs and quiet whimpers of her foster dad’s name. Alex had cried in bed, except Kara had been able to crawl in and stroke her sisters hair.

Eliza only ever cried in quiet and pretended everything was okay. Kara felt awkward enough on this new planet, the last thing she wanted to do was cross any boundaries or do something that would make Eliza not want her any more. Now, Kara knows that that would never have happened, but a scared 14 year old was unaware of how humans worked and how they thought. 

Since that time, Kara vowed to never let anyone cry by themselves again.

She threw the covers back and stood up, and padded towards her bedroom door, she raised her hand to knock but another heart wrenching sob made her falter. She opened the door and saw Lena curled into a ball on her side, dark hair spilling over the pillow, her body illuminated by the soft glow of the light coming through the window from the city outside.

She saw Lena’s shoulders shake with another sob and made her mind up. Using superspeed, she rushed around to the side of the bed that Lena had left unoccupied and pulled the covers back, and slipped into bed behind the CEO. Kara pulled Lena back into her and wrapped a strong arm around her middle, holding her close. 

Lena was aware of the door opening, but she was too deep into her own mind to register the fact that there was someone else in the room with her. She was alone. The Last Luthor. She’d sent her own mother to prison. Who did that? She truly was a monster. _She was a Luthor_.

She felt a cold breeze as the covers were lifted and then she felt herself dip slightly as someone else climbed onto the mattress behind her. And then she was being pulled backwards into a warm body. An arm was wrapped around her middle and for the first time in a long time, Lena felt safe. 

Someone was whispering things into her ear and through the haze of her own thoughts, the deep recesses of her mind registered that it was Kara talking to her. 

Sweet, beautiful Kara.

Kara, her only friend who had looked past her name to see the real Lena who wanted to make a difference.

Kara, who was far too good and too pure to be associated with a Luthor.

Kara, the one person who believed in her.

Kara. Supergirl. Her two friends were the same person. 

The person who was now with her. The one person who hadn’t abandoned her. The one person who still cared... Still believed in her after everything Lex had done to Superman – Kara’s cousin for crying out loud. After everything Lillian had done, both to Kara – Lena had found out about the torture – and to Kara’s adopted father.

If Kara could believe in her after all of that, then maybe there was some hope after all.

Kara felt Lena turn over as she sobbed again, unaware that she herself was now the reason behind Lena’s – now hopeful, relieved - tears. She felt Lena’s hands clutch at the chest of her t-shirt, could feel every beat of Lena’s heart and she pulled herself impossibly close to Kara, their legs entwining and Lena tucked her head into the crook of Kara’s neck.  
Kara wrapped both arms around the dark haired woman, not knowing what to do other than hold her close as they both drifted off to sleep.

This was how Alex found them both in the morning.


End file.
